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558 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. 94 (1997) SARCOCYSTIS COULD BE A THREAT TO BARASINGHA, 6. CERVUSDUVAUCELIBRANDER1 Sarcocystosis has come to be recognised anyattentionhasbeenpaidinIndia, (unlike some comparatively recently as a serious disease of countries ofAmerica, Europe and Africa) to this practically all categories of domestic animals infectioninthe wild. Thepresentnote isprobably throughout the world (Dubey et al. 1989) the first report of Sarcocystis infection in including India (Shahand Chaudhry, 1994). This barasingha Cervus duvauceli branderi which ( ) disease is named after the protozoan genus is ahard ground swamp deerfound onlyinKanha Sarcocystis, some of whose species cause National Park, M.P., India. considerable morbidity (including abortion) and An adult female barasingha was found mortalityespeciallyinyoung animals like sheep, dead in the Kanha National Park, M.P. in the goat, cattle and pig (Levine, 1985). month of February 1994. Histopathological Sarcocystis has a typical coccidian life- examination of various organs collected was cycle with one exception in that it involves two conducted. Microscopic examination of the hosts having prey-predator relationship. cardiac muscles revealed the presence of Herbivores and omnivores act as prey animals sarcocysts of Sarcocystis of varying sizes. The in which the asexual stages of the parasite pathogenicity of this infection is quite evident develop. This includes the most commonly in domestic animals and it is responsible for a encountered stage through which this infection great loss to the livestockindustry in the form of is largely recognised which is known as the abortion and mortality in young animals. The “sarcocyst”. Since this stage occurs as a cyst occurrence ofSarcocystis infectioninbarasingha mostly in the cardiac and striated muscles ofthe suggests that it could be one of the reasons for infected animals, the predators (carnivores) the decline in the population ofthis threatened A acquire this infection by feeding on the infected species. detailed study is needed to determine muscles. Now theparasite inthe carnivorous host the prevalence and effect ofthis infection on the remains confined to the small intestine and existing population ofbarasingha. results in the formation of sporocysts enclosing four sporozoites, i.e. it undergoes sexual February 8, 1997 A.B. SHRIVASTAV SHARMA reproduction. The sporozoites are voided in the R.K. CHAUDHRY faeces of the predators in large numbers and R.K. remain viable in the open for a considerable College ofVeterinary Science and period of time because of the protective wall of Animal Husbandry the sporocyst. Prey animals pick up these Jabalpur-482 001, M.P. sporozoites while grazing. Thus the life-cycle is RAJESH GOPAL linked between the two hosts. However, hardly FieldDirector, Kanha National Park, M.P. Referen ES & Dubey, J.P., C.A. Speer R. Fayer(1989): Sarcocystosis ourknowledge ofSarcocystis and Sarcocystosis in of animals and man. CRC Press, Boca Raton, India. A Review, pp 1-48. In R. Somvanshi and Florida, pp 215. R.R. Lokeshwar (ed.). Current Advances in Levine, N.D. (1985): VeterinaryProtozoology, IOWAState Veterinary Science andAnimalProductionin India. University Press, Ames. International Book Distributing Co., (Pub. Div.), & Shah, H.L. R.K. Chaudhry(1994): Recentadvances in Lucknow.